Innova Park vs Downtown

June 27/2011


The (Mon June 27) editorial is the second in which the CJ has expressed support of the Water St Bus terminal location for a new multiplex. The reason’s against that location far out way any reason’s favouring it. Clearly it is the poorest location of the three identified, with the Arthur St/Airport site being the second worst. With certain member’s of city council seeming to have a “Pro Port Arthur” bias, I’m very concerned the location chosen will be yet another disaster for our city that future generation’s will have to endure. Claim’s of downtown PA being the “Entertainment District” are without merit, are completely ridiculous, and are the reasons(s) of someone without a sound argument. In 1970 the venue’s in downtown PA were the Odeon & Paramount theatre’s, the largest entertainment venue, FW Garden’s, along with the Odeon & Capitol theatre’s were in the south end, does that “Designation” really make any sense? Foolish argument’s like this are myopic and regressive in the advancement and growth of our city and will only perpetuate the divide our city (cities) still suffer's from forty year’s after amalgamation. Thunder Bay need’s a central identity to meld into a true city, and the continuing failed attempt’s to revive the former downtown core’s defeat’s this totally. The downtown core’s are dead! While there are some good shops in both, they will never be even a shadow of their past existence. Private money has built the Oliver Road/CLE Fairgrounds corridor as our “new downtown”, so its time to quit flogging a dead horse! Victoriaville was to revive downtown FW, did it? (nor will the waste of money courthouse), that should be behind the police station on Rheaume St. The Ontario Govt building, the casino (with no more entertainment value than any bowling alley) and the Marina were all suppose to pump up downtown PA and all have been minimally successful negating any benefit for its cost. After the countless tax dollar’s spent, there has yet to be any uttering of any major private investment in either core, so much for “revitalization“. With “nothing” built at Innova Park, there has been land purchased for a truck stop and for a proposed shopping complex, though I’m uncertain of the status of these project’s, it's more than in either core. Clearly spending more public tax dollar’s on either downtown core is equivalent to buying a ticket on a sinking ship, No thanks ! Some say “we need to support our local businesses”, the forgotten business is the future tenant(s) of the facility. There are people in each end of the city who will not travel to the other end for entertainment and doesn’t it make more sense to maximize the opportunity for these tenants to succeed when the facility depend’s on their success? FW Garden’s became the primary venue in Thunder Bay by default, it was planned to serve Fort William, not Thunder Bay. Had the two cities pooled their resources to build a facility at that time I have no doubt its location would not be in either downtown, but centrally located to serve both sides, should that be any different now? Its time to get out of denial, face reality in this city and exercise common sense. We must build public projects centrally to serve the whole city equitably, and to create a unifying identity. Simpson Sears built in Intercity in the late 1950’s and have never built another location, because they got it right the first time exercising great foresight. Walmart is the worlds largest retailer and does extensive research for their location, they're centrally located and not in either core, get the picture? Reason’s favouring the centrally located Innova Park far out way any reasons favouring the other sites combined! Let’s get it right this time, build it for the whole city, not the core you grew up or live in!